Draft:Wildlife Wonders Apollo Bay

Wildlife Wonders is a wildlife sanctuary in Apollo Bay on the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, Australia.

Its focus is on environmental conservation. and education. Wildlife Wonders is a social enterprise supporting environmental conservation of the Otways region through the parent organisation, the Conservation Ecology Centre.



History
Wildlife Wonders received approval from Colac Otway Shire in 2017 and commenced construction in 2018 with $1.5 million in Victorian state government support. It began its journey conceived as a response to the growing need for conservation initiatives in the face of environmental challenges and officially opened in February 2021. Conceived and founded by Lizzie Corke OAM and Shayne Neal of the Conservation Ecology Centre (CEC), an environmental NGO. The purpose behind Wildlife Wonders was to "create a model in which the CEC can engage people with the wonder of nature and generate funding to address our most urgent conservation challenges, which are not going away any time soon.” - Lizzie Corke OAM

Wildlife

 * Koala
 * Eastern Grey Kangaroo
 * Swamp Wallaby
 * Tasmanian Pademelons
 * Eastern Bettong
 * Southern Brown Bandicoot
 * Long-nosed Potoroo
 * Sugar Glider
 * Otway Black Snail
 * Feathertail Glider
 * Southern Boobook
 * Laughing Kookaburra
 * Superb Fairywren
 * Gang-gang Cockatoo
 * Eastern Yellow Robin
 * Common Blue-tongued Lizard
 * Southern Brown Tree Frog
 * Souther Right Whale

The making of Wildlife Wonders
The creation of Wildlife Wonders involved planning and collaboration among environmentalists, conservationists, and community stakeholders. In this team was Brian Massey, an Art Director of ‘The Hobbit’ films, and landscape designer of New Zealand’s award winning Hobbiton experience.

1.4km of fencing encloses the sanctuary which is an area of more than 30 acres protected from feral predators and habitat destruction.



Conservation
Wildlife Wonders plays an important role in supporting ongoing conservation projects in the Great Otway National Park. 100% of Wildlife Wonders' profits are directed to the Conservation Ecology Centre's research and conservation programs. The Conservation Ecology Centre undergoes research and on-ground works to tackle urgent conservation challenges facing the wildlife and habitats of the Otways and selects projects based on their wider adaptability to conservation efforts around Australia and beyond.